In my beauty bag: Natalie Back

Read article : In my beauty bag: Natalie Back

Last updated 07:40, December 11 2014

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TOP TIPS FOR GREAT SKIN: Don't smoke, get plenty of sleep and cleanse your skin every night, says Natalie Back.

In her job as national beauty sales manager for Farmers, Natalie Back has access to all the cosmetics a girl could ever dream of. Unsurprisingly, her cabinet is bursting with all the latest products – let's take a peek.

SKIN

I'm a bit of a soft touch for anything claiming to help address the signs of ageing, so I tend to use a mix of products and brands.

Good cleansing is key, so I like to use Lancome Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover and Galatee Confort Cleanser in the evening and my Clarisonic Cleansing Brush with Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser in the morning. This might sound like overkill but these products work well together, and my skin feels amazing afterwards. I've used a Clarisonic brush for a couple of years now, and am thrilled we finally have these available in New Zealand at Farmers!

I can be a bit hit-and-miss with toners, but alternate between Clinique Clarifying Lotion and Estee Lauder Micro Essence. I love the way Micro Essence applies like a toner but acts like a serum.

I always follow with at least one, sometimes two, serums. At the moment I'm using Clinique's Smart Serum. I'm also a huge fan of Elizabeth Arden's Prevage Intensive Repair Serum, and tend to use this in the evening to target key areas of concern. 

I'm a huge advocate of using as a good eye cream, and can't go past Clarins Super Restorative Total Eye Concentrate as this addresses all of my key concerns – puffiness, lines and firmness. 

As I've become more concerned with the signs of ageing, I prefer a moisturiser that helps increase hydration, and improve radiance and firmness, without being too heavy. Currently I use Clarins Super Restorative Day and Super Restorative Night Creams which are great for this.

When I want to give my skin an extra boost, I use Clinique Instant Turnaround Facial.  It's a quick and easy-to-use exfoliating treatment, and my skin always feels incredibly smooth afterwards

I like to wear an SPF every day, and use Clinique CC Cream with SPF30 all year round - either on its own or as a primer. It's great for evening out your skin tone while providing protection. If I plan to be in the sun for extended periods I use Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Sun Defense for Face SPF50.  For my body, I generally use one of the Clarins Sun Protection products, as they provide a range of SPFs to choose from and I like the spray application.

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I love facials but don't have them often – they tend to be more a treat when I'm travelling.  My most memorable one was at the Mandara Spa at the Sofitel in Fiji. I had the works – a Balinese body polish and massage, followed by an Elemis Brilliance facial and scalp massage.  It was pure luxury and I felt like I was floating six inches above the ground when I left.

My secrets to good skin? Don't smoke! Get plenty of sleep. Cleanse your skin every night - no matter how tired you are - and always wear good eye cream and sunscreen.

MAKEUP

I have two older sisters so was introduced to the wonders of makeup about age 10. This was in the era of brands like Helena Rubenstein and Mary Quant when it was all about colour and glitter! I think I was about 13 when I bought my first Maybelline Eye Shadow Quad, and can still remember my delight at being given my own mascara and lip gloss on my 14th birthday. It was all downhill from there!

Most of my colour products tend to be from Bobbi Brown. My favourites are the Skin Foundation Stick, as it's quick and easy to apply and great to keep in my bag for touch-ups; Tinted Eye Brightener to help conceal under-eye shadows; Longwear Gel Eyeliner, as it stays in place all day (I love both Graphite and Chocolate Shimmer); and my can't-live-without-product – the Brow Kit! 

My must-have mascara at the moment is Lancome Grandiose. This is amazing for volume, definition and curl, and the angled brush makes it easy to apply without the dreaded clumps.

M.A.C. is my go-to brand for pencils. I like the Powerpoint Pencil for my eyes and Pro Longwear Pencil for my lips. I've just discovered Morning Coffee, and love how it goes with so many lipstick shades. I must confess to also having more than a few M.A.C. lipsticks in my possession, as I'm always on the lookout for that one perfect shade. 

I make sure I always have my Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick, Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector, at least one lip pencil and lipstick, and a bottle of Optrex Eye Drops in my handbag.

I try to keep makeup to a minimum over the weekends, but will usually wear CC cream, mascara, lipgloss, brow makeup and a touch of blusher.

HAIR

I wash my hair every second day with John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Shampoo and Conditioner. It helps to maintain my colour and keep it in good condition. 

Prior to styling, I give my hair a light spritz with L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil to help protect it from the heat, and then apply Davines This Is A Volume Boosting Mousse. To create texture I finish with Davines This Is A Medium Hold Finishing Gum.

My favourite salon is Killer Hair in St Benedicts St, Auckland. I've been going to Steven and Mimi for about nine years now, and they're amazing! I always keep my hair short but can get bored with it easily, and they're always happy to help me look at ways to change it up a bit. 

My hair tends to grow quickly, so I get it cut every five weeks or so, and coloured every second visit.  In between colours I re-touch the roots at home with L'Oreal Casting. Being short my hair usually stays in OK condition, but every couple of weeks I use Hask Argan Oil Deep Repairing Conditioner. It comes in a sachet so it is easy to travel with as well.

I have strong hair that needs to be styled every day, unfortunately, with a hairdryer and straighteners and I use GHD for both. I also have mini Cloud Nine Straighteners that are brilliant for travelling and short hair.

FRAGRANCE & BODY

I tend to choose my fragrance based on my mood, the occasion or the season. I do have a few favourites though, with Narciso Rodriguez For Her being a mainstay. I'm also really enjoying wearing Balenciaga Paris at the moment.  

After progressing on from Charlie, some of my earliest fragrances were Miss Worth, White Linen, Rive Gauche and Arpege. In more recent times I've enjoyed wearing Juicy Couture, Flowerbomb, Ellie Saab, Modern Muse, and Miss Dior.

For body, I love the Clarins Tonic Bath and Shower Concentrate, and use it in the shower every morning. When I want to wind down I love to soak in the bath with Clarins Relaxing Bath and Shower Concentrate. I also like to give these as gifts, as I think they're a little bit of luxury few women afford themselves.

I like non-scented body lotions and alternate between Nivea Firming Body Lotion Q10 Plus and Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion. 

LIFESTYLE

My beauty philosophy? From birth to 20 you have the skin you were born with. From 20 onwards you have the skin you deserve. So take good care of it while you can!

My beauty tip for travelling is as soon as the lights are out on a long-haul flight, remove your makeup and apply a moisturising mask and lip balm. I usually apply Clarins Beauty Flash Balm and Hydra Quench Lip Balm.

When it comes to shopping for beauty products, I'm the ultimate consumer. Through my job I get to see products six to nine months before they launch. As a result I usually have a list of products I'm planning to buy and their launch dates in my diary!  Luckily for me, Farmers now stocks all the brands I love to use.

Audrey Hepburn is my beauty icon. She had such a classic style and timeless beauty, and I love her philosophy that true beauty can only come from within. Her favourite poem, Time Tested Beauty Tips by Sam Levenson, is a must-read.

The one product I can't live without is Bobbi Brown Brow Makeup.

My best quick fix is to always keep a cream concealer on hand to instantly brighten the under-eye area, illuminate cheekbones, create a smooth lipline and help correct any little application errors.

A beauty mistake from my past was anything I did in the '80s! I can still see the lovely strips of bright eye colour from lash to brow.

My beauty pet hate is women wearing the wrong shade of foundation (usually too dark), and overly exaggerated eyebrows.

If I could wave a magic wand, the beauty bugbear I'd like to fix is cellulite! I would love a product that really did instantly smooth it.

The beauty product I think needs be invented is a customised foundation system where your perfect shade could be expertly blended to match your skin tone.

- As told to Melissa Williams-King

 - Stuff